CD Reviews

What might have been...

D. Smith | Durham, NC, United States | 07/13/2002

(4 out of 5 stars)

"Wax, and it's final domestic release, 13 Unlucky Numbers made a greater impression on American youth culture during the Summer of 1995 -- mainly through a Nike commercial featuring Andre Aggasi and Pete Sampras playing an impromptu game of street tennis in the middle of a New York City traffic jam, set to the tune of "Who is Next" and MTV's relentless sampling of the intro to "California" for transition segments between the 'Beach House' and video play (back when MTV still showed the occasional video). Wax is no longer listed by Interscope and the UBL has little information, so presumably, the band no longer exists.Although extremely short -- the album clocks in at just 24 minutes and there are only 10 actual tracks (the last three are blank, which never bodes well) -- Wax's brand of Surf Punk is exceptionally catchy, with generous use of solid guitar hooks and a limited, though promising variety of song styles. The lyrics are more angry than the wit and humor you would expect from Green Day or Blink-182, both of which exhibited early musical styles similar to Wax, and they definitely lack the carefully constructed lryical genius of a band like Weezer, to which they offer no comparison. Overall, though, the album is enjoyable and worth picking up..."